The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-08-12
PRECIOUS ehGRAviNGs.
The Workshop Where All Dies for Il
Governments Money Are Made.

made for the Government securities
1t IS an immense room in the Bureau
OF Engraving and Printing, with as
broad and clear a space as if intended
for dancing-hall. A row of windows
close together looks out upon the
lawn. At each window is man,
with a screen to keep the light out of
his eyes, STOPPING with his head close
down to little bench. He is looking
intently at something with a glass up
to one eye, and with his right hand he
is working at something slowly and
with great care. For hours these
men stay in this position without look
ing up and w;thout speaking. They
are engaged il drawing on plates of
polished steel with pencils as hard as
diamonds. Their nerves are as steady
as the steel. Among them are reck-
oned some of the finest engravers in
the world. They all hold the highest
rank as experts.
The Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing is one of the most interesting to
|
and workshops Even the great vaults
of the Treasury. OVERLOOKING with sur
plus, contains nothing of as great value
as some of the bits of steel upon which
have been traced rare works of art.
These are the steel plates from which
are printed Treasury note, silver and
gold certificates, and bills of all denom-
nations, and Government bonds. In
the vaults there are kept the plates for
every bank note, Treasury note, and
every other form of security that has
ever been issued by authority of the
Government. And they can give you
the history of each from the day it was
first conceived, giving the name of
every man who ever laid hands on it,
and how and when and why he touched
it. Ii any of these plates should be
stolen, there might be printed from
them notes or bonds representing
money to an incalculable amount.
These plates are surrounded with
impenetrable safeguards The large
room, nearly the full length of the
building, is occupied by only the en-
gravers at the windows, Mr.. O'Neil,
the chief engraver, and the custodian.
On one side Of the room is railing
and wire screen, such as are seen in
| banks, behind which are the desks OF
Mr.. O'Neil and his book-keeper. On
the other side of the room, at the door
OF the vault, is a similar enclosure,
where sits the custodian of the plates,
dies, rolls and other property. When
the chief engraver comes in the morn.
ing he makes a requisition upon the
custodian for such of these pecious bits
of steel as he wants. Each piece has
its name or designation, whether it is
a bit of lathe work, vignette or an
entire plate, and when they are sur
rendered to the chief engraver upon
requisItion an entry is made upon the
books of the custodian The book
keeper or custodian for Mr. O'Neil
makes ian entry on his books also. to
show what he has received. Then, as
the engravers want the different
pieces of work, similar account is
kept with them, and no man can leave
the room until the books show that
every piece of engraving that he had
in his possession has been returned and
he has note from the chief engraver
to show taat such is the case. The
watchmen would not let them out of
the building without this. When a
bell sounds at noon the engrayers 90
| to lunch, but not outside the building.
When the work is over for the day
the accounts between the chief en-
graver and his subordinates are bal
anced, to show that each has returned
all the work placed in his custody. The
rolls and dies and plates are returned
by the chief engraver to the custodian
from whom he got them, and if no
piece is missing his requisition is re-
turned to him, and the property locked
in the vault for the night. Should it
ever happen that any thing was miss
ing, even if it were but the smallest
fragment of engraving, no one would
be permitted to leave until it was
found. A complete record is thus kept
of every piece, so that you can tell
just where it W. as at any time. how long
it was in any ores custody, and what
he had it for.
s'We know" aid Mr. O'Neil to a
reporter to whom Chief Graves had ex-
tended the freedom of the building
1--WE know that whatever my be said
about counterfeits being printed from
Government plates, that there never
was one SO printed. There is no plate
that has ever been made that is not in
the vault there, and every one can be
accounted for every minute of time.
You can not name little out-of-the-
way National Bank but that we have
the plate for it's notes in that vault.
and can tell you all abou it, from the
name of the men who worked on it to
every body who has ever touched it at
| any time y WASHINGTON Star.
: What to Teach Your Boys.
Teach them how to earn money.
| Teach them to be strictly truthful.
Teach them shorthand and type
writing.
Teach them economy in all their af-
fairs.
Teach them to be polite in their
manners.
Teach them history and political
economy.
Teach them arithmetic in all its
branches.
Teach them to avoid tobacco and
strong drink.
Teach them to ride, drive, jump, run
and swim.
Teach them careful and correct bust
ness habits.
Teach them how to get the most for
their money.
Teach them by example how to do